still struggling to device a policy to de-escalate the crisis, president obama met with angela merkel in washington. together they set a new trigger for broader sector based sanctions against russia. any interference with crucial elections later this month. >> if in fact we see the disruptions and destabilization continuing so severely that it impedes elections on may 25th, you will not have a choice but to move forward with additional more severe sanctions. >> reporter: until now, such penalties against russia's energy, arms, banking sectors have been reserved for a full scale invasion. russia remains undeterred. russian officials say the ukraine's military operations in the east effectively can you tell ella deal reached in geneva last month to diffuse the crisis and they called for emergency session of the u.n. security council to highlight alleged threats to russians inside ukraine. to reassure the west and european allies, they're considering expanding and extending military exercises in the region. defense secretary chuck hagel said all members of the alliance, not just the u.s.